FOCUS | Florida Recount, 2006-Style

Did you hear about the 18,382 missing votes in Sarasota County, FL? We need you to spread the word about this outrageous story right away, by forwarding the message you see below.

There is an easy fix to the troubles we saw not just in Florida, but in multiple states last week - paper records. Help us build pressure on Congress to act! Hit "Forward" now and pass along the story below to six people.

Why six? We've already generated 15,000 letters since Wednesday demanding that electronic votes always have a paper trail. If you forward this to six people from your network, we can generate a flood of 100,000 letters Congress can't ignore.

Thanks,

Chellie Pingree, President
Common Cause

------------- COPY & FORWARD THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE -------------

Hi,

I don’t know if you’ve heard about this - it’s ridiculous. 18,382 votes have been LOST by paperless voting machines in one Florida House race.

That's one in seven of the votes cast there JUST GONE because electronic voting machines left no paper record! The Republican candidate only won by 368 votes.

Common Cause is jumping in, demanding tests of the machines and a revote, and I just took action to push for the big-picture solution - mandatory paper trails - by writing to my Senator. I hope you'll join me at www.GetItStraightby2008.org.

This debacle didn't have to happen. A voter-verified paper record of the ballot would have shown voters that their choice in the race wasn't recorded.

Ironically, that same day, those Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a measure requiring paper receipts in their county. GetItStraightby2008.org is the campaign for that same solution nationwide.

The first step is flooding Congress with 100,000 letters demanding voter-verified paper records and random audits of electronic machines.

Write your Senators NOW for a paper trail: www.GetItStraightby2008.org.

When you act, you join Common Cause in documenting voting problems nationwide, pushing for a revote in Sarasota, and forcing the Senate's hand on clean elections. Please pass this message on far and wide.

Thanks,

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FOCUS | Florida Recount, 2006-Style
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/111206X.shtml
On Monday Florida will begin its first recount for a federal election since the
botched 2000 presidential contest, but this time there will be no hanging chads.
It is the reliability of touch screen electronic voting machines that will be in
the spotlight.